[MassHistPres] Worcester Builds! Talks-REMINDER

[SCeccacci at aol.com]

Worcester  Builds! 
Preservation  Worcester is  pleased to offer two springtime talks  
by Dr.  Sara E. Wermiel, historian of technology.   
These talks  highlight Worcester’s important (and largely  unrecognized)  
role in the  history of American building practice and technology. 
America’s  Pioneer  Building Contractor:   
The  Norcross Brothers of Worcester 
Wednesday,  April 27, 2011, 7:00 pm 
Levi  Lincoln Room 
Worcester  City  Hall 
Main  Street 
Worcester 
General  contracting for building construction began in the United States  
around the 1870’s.  One of the first  companies, and for a time the largest, 
was Norcross Brothers of Worcester.  Successful both locally and 
nationally,  Norcross Brothers built some 338 buildings all across the United States,  
as well as numerous monuments, bridges, and other structures.  The firm, 
which built nearly all of the  mature projects of famed Boston architect Henry 
 Hobson Richardson, was known as Richardson’s “master builder.” This talk  
describes the history of Norcross Brothers in the context of the 
development of  general contracting in the 19th century and includes examples of  
Norcross collaborations with Richardson, as well as other notable projects both  
in Worcester and nationwide.  Ms.  Wermiel’s talk will be held in 
Norcross-built Worcester City  Hall. 
New  Materials and Construction Systems  
in  the Nineteenth Century 
Wednesday, May  18, 2011, 7:00 pm 
The  Printers  Building 
50 Portland  Street 
Worcester 
The  19th century was a time of tremendous innovation in structural  
building materials.  At the opening  of the century, American builders used little 
other than traditional wood,  brick, and stone.  Over the course  of the 
century, inventive architects and materials manufacturers introduced a  great 
range of new structural materials, for example, iron and steel,  
architectural terra cotta, hollow tile, and reinforced concrete.  In addition, builders 
arranged  traditional materials (masonry, timber) in new ways to achieve 
specific  performance objectives.  Often not  visible, but covered by interior 
finishes, these materials are often  overlooked.  Nevertheless, novel  
structural solutions are an important feature of the 19th-century  built 
heritage, deserving recognition.  This talk gives an overview of the history of 
some of these materials and  assemblies, explains when and why they were 
introduced, and shows where examples  can be found in Worcester. 
These talks  are made possible by a generous grant from the Worcester Arts  
Council. 
Admission  is free. 
For  more information contact: 
SUSAN McDANIEL  CECCACCI 
Preservation Worcester 
Telephone:   508-754-8760    
Email:   _susan.ceccacci at preservationworcester.org_ 
(mailto:susan.ceccacci at preservationworcester.org) 
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